Blood, Sweat, and Schradieck

Chapter Thirteen - Will

A/N: And here it is! The long-awaited closure to the cliffhanger from the last chapter! Enjoy! :) Sorry it's up so late. I had to get up early and get to work so I didn't have a chance to post it earlier.

It's late evening, and Will is lying on his back on his bed, staring at the ceiling. Given that it's the night before the most important competition of his life, he should be asleep right now. But his stubborn mind is resisting any and all invitations to sleep, and his eyelids are virtually tacked wide open.

"Hey, Will," someone says close to his head, and Will jumps, his heart leaping in his chest. He jerks his head over just in time to see George's head disappear over the edge of his loft as his friend loses his balance. George catches himself just in time and pulls himself back up.

"Sorry, Will!" George says. "I didn't mean to scare you! When you jumped, it scared me!"

Will laughs. "Sorry, George. I didn't mean to jump. Did you need something?"

George shakes his head. "Not really. I was just going to check on you to make sure you were okay."

Will shrugs. "Right now, I'm fine. I just can't sleep."

George scrunches up his nose. "Oh yes, those lovely night-before-the-competition jitters."

"Yep," Will says. "Maybe I'll fall asleep on the bus to the opera house tomorrow morning before the opening ceremony."

"I think it's so cool that they're closing the Conservatory so that everyone can go watch the competition," George says. "Not just because I'm getting out of a Physics test that was scheduled for tomorrow."

"You're welcome," Will says, smirking.

George rolls his eyes. "Anyway, I wanted to see if you needed some distraction. I know if I was in your shoes right now, I'd want something that could help me sleep. Want to head over to the dining hall quick for some hot chocolate?"

"George," Will says, sitting up, "you're a genius. Did you know that?"

"Of course I did," George says. "Now get your coat on while I go run interference with Horace. If he studies any more Geometry, he's going to end up turning into a quadrilateral."

Will laughs and hops to the ground, searching for his snow boots while George crosses the room to drag Horace away from his homework. A few minutes later, the three boys are exiting the dorm building.

Will pauses just inside the doorway. "Hold on. I'll text Gil and Jenny to let them know. They can meet us at the dining hall."

"What about Alyss?" Horace asks.

Will hesitates. "I don't know. She's still mad at me. Maybe I'll tell Jenny to invite her. She'll understand."

A moment later, Will sends his texts, and the three boys wade through the snow toward the dining hall. They head through the front doors, welcoming the blast of heated air on their chilled noses and cheeks. The scrape their boots on the doorstep and leave their coats on the hooks in the front hallway.

It's quiet in the dining hall. Most students are at the dorms or practicing at this hour. The dining hall is finished serving hot dinner, but the hot chocolate station is still open. The boys quickly fill Styrofoam cups with the piping hot, sweet liquid. Will adds marshmallows, whipped cream, and cinnamon to his. Horace drinks his as is, while George adds a peppermint stick. Then they find a table to sit and wait for their other friends.

They don't have to wait long. Gilan and Jenny show up a few minutes later, hand in hand, noses bright from the cold. They make their hot chocolates and join Will, George, and Horace at the table.